Uprades and Late Arrivals
Being upgraded to Tokyo is a bit of a whirlwind since there is significantly less in place to accommodate your move. First and foremost, we HIGHLY recommend that upgrades and late arrivals reach out to the Prefectural Advisor, TJET Committee, or Local Area Coordinators as soon as possible so that we can answer any questions and get you any help you may need during your transition. You might also consider connecting with us on the Tokyo JETs Facebook Group and/or the Private School JETs Facebook Group where can contact current JETs who were upgrades or late arrivals themselves. As for the information on this page, we hope to provide you with a brief overview of the ways in which your situation will differ from the rest of the information provided in the other Incoming JETs pages. Orientations Rather than sitting through the orientations explain in the Arrival Timeline page, you will arrive in Tokyo and be given a short 3-4 hour orientation by CLAIR with the other late arrival / upgraded JETs. You will likely become close to these people as they will be in the same situation as you. After the CLAIR orientation, you will meet with your Contracting Organization for another 3-4 hour orientation specific to you. If you are a Public School JET, you will meet with members of the Tokyo Board of Education. If you are a Private School JET, you will meet members of your school. During these small orientations you may be asked to watch recordings/excerpts of previous orientations, discuss the terms of your contract, or other such things. Apartment As an upgrade or late arrival you may not be able to explore apartments to the same degree as traditional incoming JETs. You should ask your Contracting Organization how they will handle the situation. In the past, some private schools were able to provide temporary housing for late arrivals for a week while they found an apartment. On the other hand, some public school JETs recommend signing for apartments prior to arriving in Japan using the real estate agent provided to you or by Arranging for your Own Real Estate Agent. Others have arranged to live in Share Houses. Please read the Apartments page for more in depth information on how to find your apartment in Tokyo. Setting Up Although we cannot promise this will be the case, often you will have a day or two upon arrival to set up your new place. Use this time wisely to set up your immediately necessary toiletries, Furniture and Appliances, Phone, Ward Offices, and Banking. As a late arrival, hopefully you will find your supervisor or JTEs more than willing to help you settle in. Even your real estate agent may be willing to drive you to buy a futon for your first night in your apartment if they are especially kind. (If you feel uncomfortable asking directly for help, you might consider asking simpler questions such as "Do you know where I can buy a futon / refrigerator (冷蔵庫, reizouko) / fan (扇風機, senpuuki)?" ) However, if you find yourself struggling to find support, please do not hesitate to contact the Prefectural Advisor, TJET Committee, or Local Area Coordinators to request help. In order to stay connected during this time, you might consider ordering a temporary mobile internet for delivery upon your arrival or taking stock of your nearby Free Wifi Hot Spots until you can set up your cell phone. Category:IncomingJETs